Multidisciplinary Approach for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings

The general objective of the project is to enhance the capacity of Bulgarian state institutions in combating organised crime, specifically trafficking in human beings.

Specific objectives:

• The first specific objective aims at gaining and improving the knowledge of Bulgarian public officials in the field of Schengen Cooperation and Combating Cross-border and Organised Crime, including Trafficking in Human Beings.
• The second specific objective aims at exchanging best practices with relevant anti-trafficking institutions and organisations in Norway and the Netherlands.

Specific activities:

1. Conducting a research assessment on the level of knowledge and the specific needs of additional knowledge among Border police and Migration officers, experts from State agency for national security, National investigative service, district courts and prosecutor’s offices, National and Local Commissions for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. Surveys will be developed and submitted to the relevant institutions and the results will be analysed and evaluated.
2. Conducting eight multidisciplinary trainings in Bulgaria for Border police officers, prosecutors, experts from National Investigative Service and State Agency for National Security which aim to familiarize the participants with the latest trends of human trafficking in Bulgaria. The trainings will take place in the regions of Burgas, Varna, Sliven, Pazardjik, Veliko Tarnovo, Plovdiv, Montana and Blagoevgrad, The trainings will aim to improve the cooperation between the institutions in the investigation and criminal proceedings and exchange experience and best practices; The participants will be trained by experienced trainers from a relevant organisation/institution from Norway and the Netherlands;
3. Developing a Handbook based on the research assessment, and exchanged practices. The Handbook will serve as a main interactive and reference tool for the trainings and future reference guide i for all the participating institutions .It will be translated into Bulgarian and English;
4. Conducting one “train the trainers” seminar in Bulgaria which aims to train and certify ten Border and migration police officers, judges, prosecutors and experts from National Investigative Service, State Agency for National Security, National and local commissions for combating trafficking in human beings on the implementation of Schengen related procedures in terms of combating THB and other forms of organised crime.

Target group:
Bulgarian judges from district and regional courts, prosecutors from district and regional prosecutor‘s offices, officials from State Agency for National Security and National Investigative Service, police officers from Border police and Migration Directorate, experts from National and Local Commissions for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings . All of them are public officials.

Number of target group persons included in the project:
At least 200 Bulgarian Border and Migration police officers, prosecutors, judges and experts from National Agency for State Security and National Investigative Service, National and Local Commissions for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.